Snow monoski

ABSTRACT

A snow monoski: the monoski comprises a ski having inwardly curved side edges and supporting an articulated frame for a saddle. The articulated frame has a front portion defining a handgrip and is tiltably attached to the ski between a raised or use position and a collapsed position of minimum overall size.

'ilnited' States Patent Fabris Nov. 4, 1975 SNOW MONOSKI 2,062,953 12/1936 Wargo 280/12 1 3,014,731 12/1961 Dworak 280/16 [76] Inventor. Sergio Fabrls, v1a Alpinl 8, 36065 3358304 12/1967 Esmay n 9/310 R Mussolente (VI), Italy 3,438,643 4/1969 Spiehs 280/16 22 Filed: May 2 9 3,583,721 6/1971 Doran 280/25 X [2]] Appl' 362340 Primary Examiner-Kenneth H. Betts Assistant ExaminerMichae1 J. Forman [30] Foreign Application Priority D t Attorney, Agent, or FirmKarl W. Flocks May 20, 1972 Italy 85567/72 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 280/12 K; 280/25 1 51 1m. 01. B6213 13/04 A SHOW monoskli the monoskl Compnses a skl havmg [58] Field 61 Search 280/12 K, 12 KL, 16,25; inwardly curved Side dges and suppofling an articu- 9/31O R lated frame for a saddle. The articulated frame has a front portion defining a handgrip and is tiltably at- 5 References Cited tached to the ski between a raised or use position and UNITED STATES PATENTS a collapsed position of minimum overall size. 1,394,629 10/1921 Leicht, Jr 280/16 9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 SNOW MONOSKI This invention relates to a snow monoski for use by a sitting user, enabling to make any descent at controlled speed, direction and stop.

A monoski according to the invention is characterized by the absence of any steering member, since the monoski is operated by sitting on a saddle through particular short foot-worn ski, and leaning to the right or to the left to bend in either direction due to a particular configuration or shape of the side edges of the ski.

Moreover, the absence of a steering-wheel avoids the risk of the monoski in the occurrence of falls and substantially reduces the cost as well as the weight of the ski.

Generally, a snow monoski according to the invention comprises: a ski, an articulated frame attached to said ski and carrying a saddle, said frame having a front portion thereof defining a hand grip and being tiltably attached longitudinally of the ski between a use or raised condition and a collapsed condition of minimum overall size.

Preferably, the ski has side edges partially inwardly curved, so that by more or less leaning sidewise to the right or to the left, the pressure will release on one of the edges moving therealong as the inclination changes enabling to make a bend, in such a case it being evident that the edge internally of the bend will press on the snow allowing to make the bend, while the other edge is raised.

It is the object of the present invention to provide such a monoski as above specified, wherein an articulated saddle carrying frame is forwardly tiltable to a position of minimum overall size, and the saddle height and inclination can be adjusted to accomodate the different use conditions.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partly cutaway, showing a monoski according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the monoski shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing the ski only as free of the saddle carrying frame;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a supporting bracket for the ski saddle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a further detail of the monoski;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing another or second manner to collapse the articulated frame on the ski;

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a particular short ski to be worn on a skiers feet;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the short ski shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 9 is a cross-section taken on line 99 of FIG.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 only, a particular embodiment of a monoski according to the invention will be described.

As shown by the figures, a monoski substantially comprises a ski 10, the front portion of which has side edges slightly sloping to the tip, while the intermediate portion thereof has side edges that are rounded or partially inwardly curved, as shown at 11 of FIG. 3. The bending radius for such edges is normally high, such as in the range of 2 to 4 meters for a ski being, for example, 1.30 meters long. As apparent, these measures are for indication purposes only.

At the bottom the ski has three directional fins, and particularly a front central fin 12 and two rear side fins 13. Said fins can be applied in any suitable manner, but preferably are applied merely by pressure without using any screws by inserting in proper slots, providing the fins with a suitable toothing, in the case a set toothing, for press insertion on the ski bottom.

At the top the ski 10 carries a tiltable articulated frame for supporting a saddle 14, a skier sitting thereon and wearing suitable short ski to be hereinafter de scribed in connection with FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings. I

More particularly, the articulated frame is substantially comprised of two crossed tubular elements forming with the assembly comprising the ski l0 and saddle 14 a structure having a crossed polygonal configuration.

More particularly, the articulated frame is substantially comprised of an intermediate pipe or tube 15 pivoted at 16 to a bracket 17 which is attached to ski 10, such as by screws, and a pair of side pipes or tubes 18 parallel to each other and suitably spaced apart and pivoted at 19 to a rear bracket 20, the latter being also attached to ski 10 at a position aligned with and longitudinally spaced apart from the abovementioned fronta skier, and also for hooking to a ski-lift disc or other ascent tow device.

The saddle 14 is forwardly pivoted at 22 tosaid pair of parallel pipes or tubes 18, while being rearwardly.

connected through a pivot at 23 to a rocking bracket 24 which in turn is pivoted at 25- to a bushing or sleeve 26 which is secured to the top end of the rearwardly inclined pipe or tube 15. Internally of the rocking bracket 24 there is a shock absorbing bearing 27 which is retained by a spring 28 clearly shown also in the perspective view of FIG. 4.-

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, respective sleeves 29 and 30 areslidable along the tubular elements 15 and 18, said sleeves 29 and 30 being pivoted to each other at 31 by means of a threaded pin on which a ring nut 32 is screwed down.

The sleeves 26 and 29, which are on the same tubular element 15, are internally threaded with right screw thread and left screw thread respectively, to engage with a helical spring 33 threaded on tube or pipe 15 so that, when rotated in one direction or in opposite direction, said spring 33 will tend to relatively move said sleeves to or away from each other for adjusting the sloping of saddle 14, owing to the articulation at 31 and the provision of bracket 24.

Balancing or shock absorbing springs 34 are hooked between said tubular elements or parts associated therewith, so as to hold the articulated frame at raised condition in its use position and at the same time to provide a suitable springing system for the saddle 14, on which a skier is sitting.

More particularly, in the example shown there are provided a pair of springs 34 hooked by the rear end thereof to the sleeve 26 fast with the tubular element 15, while being hooked by the front end thereof to a turnbuckle or screw 35 which is longitudinally slidable within a clip or bracket 36 secured beneath the saddle, and on which an adjusting ring nut 37 is screwed down. A possible index or pointer 38, as applied under the saddle, can provide an indication of the adjustment for the balancing springs 34.

Instead of said springs 34, there could be provided a telescopic shock absorbing system 39 (shown in FIG. 5) which is secured between said location 25 and a transverse plate (not shown), the latter being secured between the two tubular elements 18 by means of a threaded screw 40 pivoted at 41 to said telescopic springing system 39.

Therefore, it will be apparent that bymore or less loading said balancing or traction springs, and by screwing or unscrewing the threaded ring nut 37 of turnbuckle 35, the springing system for the saddle 14 can be adjusted, accomodating the use of the present monoski both for grown-up people and children.

From the foregoing and as shown, it will be apparent that by adjusting the several springs 33 and 34, the attitude of saddle 14 can be adapted in accordance with the use conditions. A further adjustment can be provided in the course of use with a skier sitting on the saddle 14, since by pulling on the handgrip 21 and simultaneously straining on the short foot-worn ski, a skier can stiffen the whole springing system in order to dampen to a higher or lower degree the impacts at holes or pits or at a change in gradient along the track.

The use of a monoski according to the invention is extremely simple, since a skier straddling the monoski and sitting on the saddle 14, and wearing such short ski as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, can go down more or less steep slopes, can bend to the right or to the left by laterally inclining with the whole ski, so that due to the particular 'arcuate configuration of the side edges of the ski, a curve or bending can be made by the different action of the snow pressure against that edge of the ski which is internally of the curve or bending being made.

It is apparent that the structure of the articulated frame could be different from that shown, while allowing a suitable springing for the saddle; however, the approach herein shown is extremely advantageous, as it enables to forwardly tilt the articulated frame longitudinally of the ski to a position of minimum overall size, as shown by hatching in FIG. 1. This can be readily done by unthreading the pin 31 retaining the sliding sleeves 29 and 30, and hooking the saddle and tilted frame by a spring 42, or other equivalent spring means, secured rearwardly of the saddle, causing it to pass about a spoke 43, the latter being secured under the ski tip. I

It is apparent that this spread out attitude of the saddle frame is due to the crossed arrangement of the tubular elements and the provision of the rocking bracket 24 of a suitable length. Thus, by suitably varying or extending the length of bracket 24, it would be possible to differently collapse the frame, for example as schematically shown in FIG. 6 of the accompanying draw-' mgs.

Referring now to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying'drawings, a particular embodiment will now be described for the short ski to be used as worn on a skiers feet in combination with the monoski according to the invention.

As shown in the above figures, each short ski substan tially comprises two box-like metal pieces of a same deveiopment 45 and 46 (FIG. 9 having longitudinal grooves 47 formed therein and along which saidboxlike pieces 45 and 46 are welded.

Both said pieces 45 and 46 have the longitudinal edges 48and 49, respectively, which are suitably downward folded and projecting beyond the bottom surface of the ski to form suitable directional metal edges.

Rearwardly, each short ski has a toothed transverse element 50 which is for braking by a suitable pressure on the snow.

In the plan view of FIG. 8 it will be also seen that the ski further includes a series of sloping slots 51 on both sides, to which the hook-curved ends can be hooked of a first spring 52, passing in a transverse through hole 53 eccentrically formed to a sprocket or clamping element of a boot tip; this sprocket is forwardly provided with an operator handle 55.

Similarly, the ski rearwardly has series of sloping slots 56 oppositely to the former for hooking a second spring clamping it between the two springs. Moreover, due to the inclined attitude of the slots 51 and 56, a clamping action is also provided on the boot sides, since the spring ends tend to move inwardly adhering to the sides of the boot.

A further adjustment could be effected by making the spacings between the front slots 51 different from the spacings between the slots 56, so as to select the position of the springs in accordance with the boot size For example, by maintaininga spacing between the front slots to be about 10 mm. and a spacing between the rear slots to be about 15 mm., it would be possible to provide an adjustment in the order of 5 to 5 millime ters. It is apparent that the clamping system of the short ski to a skiers boot could be also different from that shown, if desired.

'What I claim is:

1. A snow monoski comprising a ski having lateral edges with inwardly curved parts,

an articulated frame attached to said ski and carrying a saddle, 4

said frame having a front portion defining a handgrip and being tiltably secured longitudinally of said ski between a raised condition and a collapsed condi-, tion of minimum overall size,

means to connect said saddle to said frame including i a turnbuckle element,

traction springs rearwardly connected to said frame and forwardly connected to said turnbuckle element sliding in a plate secured beneath sleeves being releasably pivoted to each other, and

spring means connected between said tubular elements to retain said frame at said raised condition, allowing a springed oscillation thereof.

4. A monoski as claimed in claim 3, further including said connecting means wherein said saddle is forwardly pivoted to one of said tubular elements, while being rearwardly connected to the other tubular element by means of a rocking bracket, and said spring means are adjustable.

5. A monoski as claimed in claim 4, wherein said spring means comprise a helical spring surrounding one elements, articulated to said ski, one of which is rearwardly inclined and the other of which is forwardly inclined and intersects said rearwardly inclined tubular element at an intermediate point and extends upward in its front part to define said handgrip. 8. A monoski as claimed in claim 7, further characterized by said saddle articulated to said forward inclined element, and adjustably connected to said rearward inclined element through a connecting element and said traction springs. 9. A monoski as claimed in claim 7, further characterized by said tubular elements articulated with each other through slidable sleeves, and a spring means acting with shock absorbing function on said sleeves. 

1. A snow monoski comprising a ski having lateral edges with inwardly curved parts, an articulated frame attached to said ski and carrying a saddle, said frame having a front portion defining a handgrip and being tiltably secured longitudinally of said ski between a raised condition and a collapsed condition of minimum overall size, means to connect said saddle to said frame including a turnbuckle element, traction springs rearwardly connected to said frame and forwardly connected to said turnbuckle element sliding in a plate secured beneath said saddle.
 2. A monoski as claimed in claim 1, wherein at the bottom said ski has longitudinal directional fins.
 3. A monoski as claimed in claim 1, wherein said articulated frame comprises first and second tubular elements crossed to each other and pivoted to said ski; said connecting means including sleeves slidable along each of the tubular elements of the frame, said sliding sleeves being releasably pivoted to each other, and spring means connected between said tubular elements to retain said frame at said raised condition, allowing a springed oscillation thereof.
 4. A monoski as claimed in claim 3, further including said connecting means wherein said saddle is forwardly pivoted to one of said tubular elements, while being rearwardly connected to the other tubular element by means of a rocking bracket, and said spring means are adjustable.
 5. A monoski as claimed in claim 4, wherein said spring means comprise a helical spring surrounding one of the tubular elements, said spring threading with its ends in a sleeve secured to said one tubular element and in a corresponding sliding sleeve, respectively.
 6. A monoski as claimed in claim 4, wherein said rocking bracket internally has a resilient shock absorbing bearing.
 7. A monoski as claimed in claim 1, further characterized by said articulated frame being formed by two tubular elements, articulated to said ski, one of which is rearwardly inclined and the other of which is forwardly inclined and intersects said rearwardly inclined tubular element at an intermediate point and extends upward in its front part to define said handgrip.
 8. A monoski as claimed in claim 7, further characterized by said saddle articulated to said forward inclined element, and adjustably connected to said rearward inclined element through a connecting element and said traction springs.
 9. A monoski as claimed in claim 7, further characterized by said tubular elements articulated with each other through slidable sleeves, and a spring means acting with shock absorbing function on said sleeves. 